Mirror Mirror - First Episode

A Perspective

By Annie Murray 03/09/2013

Posie Graeme-Evans (the producer behind hugely popular Australian TV shows Hi-5 and McLeod's Daughters), conceived the idea for children's series Mirror, Mirror in 1992. Beginning with the idea that a mirror could act as a portal through time, it grew into two series that have won awards and sold internationally.

Mirror, Mirror was a co-production between the Gibson Group and Australia's Millennium Pictures. It was shot in Wellington and post-produced in Sydney. 

The children's series played a key role in launching the careers of its two lead actresses, New Zealander Michala Banas and Australian Petra Yared (as the girl living in the present, Jo Tiegan).

The part of Louisa Iredale (the girl in the past) was Wellington-born actress Michala's first major role. She went on to act in Australian TV comedy series Always Greener, followed by a small part in the film Scooby Doo, then in 2004 she joined the cast of popular Australian drama series McLeod's Daughters.

Mirror, Mirror was very well received by audiences on TV2  and it won Best Children's Programme in the 1996 New Zealand Film and Television Awards. TVNZ entered Mirror, Mirror in the Prix Jeunesse (one of the top children's competitions in the world), and for the first time in 15 years a New Zealand drama was selected as a finalist.

Later, in 1996, Mirror, Mirror won gold at the World Television Festival in Houston. The first series of Mirror, Mirror sold to more than 50 countries, including the UK's Channel 5, Germany's Nickelodeon, France's Canal Plus, and TVE Spain.

In 1997 the Gibson Group co-produced a second series, again with Millennium Pictures.